UPS on Steroids for Luxe Green Homes

System can be tied to solar, wind or power generators, and stabilizes power.

Luxury homeowners seeking the biggest, baddest battery backup will soon have a green-tech option in RoseWater Energy Group’s Residential Energy Storage Hub, which features 24 batteries to store electricity from a generator, photovoltaic (PV) solar panel array or a wind turbine. The Energy Hub also functions as a power stabilizer and surge suppressor for any of the home’s attached circuits.

The unit is set to debut at the CEDIA (Custom Electronic Design & Installation Association) Expo in Indianapolis, Ind., Sept. 5-8.

Think of this as a UPS (uninterruptible power supply) on steroids, with the capability of providing 10 kilowatts (kw) of power to selected circuits in the home and 12 kilowatt hours (kWh) of energy storage, which should provide several hours of power in the event of a power failure.

You could power computers and electronics for six hours or more, says Joseph Piccirilli, managing director of RoseWater Energy Group. The Energy Hub can be paired with a photovoltaic (PV) solar panel array, a generator, or other renewable energy source to collect and store energy on site.

A string of 24 Axion maintenance-free lead carbon batteries, which represent an advancement over lead-acid batteries, are used to store the energy. Piccirilli says the batteries have a longer life cycle than lead acid batteries and can be cycled 2,500 times to a full discharge, unlike other solar storage batteries that should only be partially discharged each time.

Power protection is provided by two bi-directional DC to DC converters (48 to 400 volts), where power is stabilized. A built-in inverter handles the conversion from a DC to AC. “We convert all power to DC, stabilize it, and convert it back to AC,” says Piccirilli. “It’s a dual conversion to guarantee pure sine wave, constant 110v/60Hz.” The result is stable and reliable power for electronics. Piccirilli says despite the conversions, power loss is minimal, with conversion efficiency percentages in the high 80s and low 90s. An input for a generator ensures that power, which can often fluctuate, will be stabilized as well.

The DC to DC conversion corrects common power quality problems with the utility supply via automated power factor compensation, automated surge assist, frequency control and voltage regulation to correct for spikes and sags.

An Energy Router contained in the unit has the software to track energy loads and sources and route energy to your selected circuits. There’s also a display control panel, automatic transfer switch with manual bypass, a main input circuit breaker, and an anti-islanding relay to prevent back feeding to the grid.

The system will be capable of paralleling up to five units to extend the total power and energy storage capability to 50 kW/60 kWh. System configuration is for a 110/220 split-phase electrical service. Three units can be connected to provide 220 VAC 3 phase. It is UL-approved and packaged in a NEMA 3 rated outdoor enclosure with an 1,800-pound battery system, ventilation fans and ducting.

You’ll need a contractor with a high-voltage license to install this sucker, which will cost a pretty $45,000. The systems may also qualify for a 30 percent U.S. federal renewable energy tax credit for use with a solar system.